'Courts should help end domestic violence'

A BEITBRIDGE magistrate yesterday said courts should play a leading role in curbing domestic violence by imposing deterrent sentences on perpetrators.

Magistrate Toyindepi Zhou said this while sentencing 33-year-old Knowledge Muleya to nine months in jail for bashing his mistress Simphiwe Sibanda.

The magistrate said the prevalence of domestic violence cases was worrying and should not be trivialised.

"The prevalence of these offences is cause for concern and sentence should reflect the manner in which these were committed," Zhou said.

"Courts should play a meaningful role in the fight against domestic violence by handing out deterrent sentences."

The magistrate said while the courts should not delve into people's private affairs, immoral behaviour should not be condoned, especially since Muleya's offence happened in an extra-marital affair.

The court heard that on March 22 in Lutumba, Beitbridge, Muleya, who is a married man, saw his mistress Sibanda entering the toilet in a bar.

He followed her and punched her, and also hit her with a shoe, which resulted in her sustaining injuries.

Muleya told the court that he had often heard that she was cheating on him in their extra-marital affair.

He claimed he had built her a house in their rural area and was hurt by rumours that she was seeing another man.

But the magistrate said it would have been understandable had he caught her in the act.

Muleya was caged for six months after three other months were set aside for five years.

Claudius Karanga prosecuted.